Bridge closed as officials continue monitoring Cheboygan River water levels

The Michigan Department of Transportation raised the U.S. 23 bascule bridge in Cheboygan on Monday, April 13 and closed it to roadway traffic as a preventative measure while officials continue monitoring water levels at the Cheboygan Lock and Dam Complex. 

According to MDOT, the bridge closure is intended to protect against potential damage from debris flowing down the Cheboygan River and to keep vehicle occupants and pedestrians safe. 

Engineers monitoring the bridge have not yet found significant erosion around the bridge’s foundation, but noted that increased water flow in the river has the potential to scour the river sediment away from those footings. The bridge, which was built in 1940, is considered scour critical. According to MDOT, this means its foundation is susceptible to erosive water flow during flood events. Debris from upstream could also cause additional erosion.

During the bridge closure, traffic will be detoured south to the Lincoln Avenue Bridge. MDOT officials said there is no timeline for reopening the bridge, which will need to be inspected before it can be re-opened. An operator from the Cheboygan County Road Commission will be on site and will be ready to open the bridge in an emergency if needed.

Be ready to evacuate

Along with MDOT staff, local and state emergency management leadership are monitoring the situation. 

The bridge closure comes after several days of careful monitoring of the river’s water levels at the Cheboygan Lock and Dam Complex. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency for Cheboygan County on Friday, April 10 due to the rising water levels. The Michigan State Police Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division is coordinating the state’s emergency response through the State Emergency Operations Center. 

In a Monday, April 13 update, the Cheboygan County Sheriff’s Office said the dam’s water levels had reached the Ready mark. 

This means that those living between the Cheboygan Dam and Lake Huron should: 

If an evacuation is ordered, you will receive an IPAWS emergency alert on your phone. Residents should also get updates from: 

This article originally appeared on Cheboygan Daily Tribune: Bridge closed as officials continue monitoring Cheboygan River water levels

Reporting by Jillian Fellows, Cheboygan Daily Tribune / Cheboygan Daily Tribune

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect